This invention relates to a static mixer for mixing at least two flowable components that react on mixing to form a solidified mass.
Static mixers for the mixing of at least two flowable components are described in EP-A-0 749 776 and EP-A-0 815 929. These mixers, which are compact, deliver good mixing results, despite a simple material-saving design, and particularly in the mixing of high-viscosity substances such as sealants, two-component foams or two-components adhesives. The installed elements forming the mixer structure can be manufactured at a favorable cost by injection molding from thermoplastics so that they can be used economically for one-time use. Such a “disposable mixer” is mainly used for curing products, since the mixers can not be practically cleaned with these products.
Even if the mixing of a curing mixed product with a disposable mixer is operated continuously or quasi-continuously (for example in cycles), finite useful lives, however, result. With a continuous carrying out of the mixing under an extruding pressure that remains largely constant, i.e. with a pressure drop along the installed elements of the mixer, for example, the discharge of the mixing product noticeably reduces according to the service life. That is to say, as the service life increases, the output of the mixer decreases due to an increasing pressure drop within the mixer.
An increase in the extruding pressure only allows a relatively short extension of the mixed product discharge.